Bend faced a dangerous doctor shortage in 1943

Compiled by Don Hoiness from archived copies of The Bulletin at Deschutes County Historical Society.

100 Years ago

For the week ending

Nov. 24, 1918

German troops rush to Berlin — seize all trains

German troops are stampeding from the battlefront toward Berlin in order to “see the revolution,” German newspapers declare.

Railway trains which were intended to convey troops from various parts of the empire to their homes are being seized by the soldiers, and at the point of the bayonet the engineers are ordered to route these trains directly to Berlin.

The roofs, platforms and even the brake rods of the coaches have been filed with the soldiers, who are clinging to every conceivable place. Many of them have suffocated and others have been brushed off as the trains passed through tunnels. Endeavoring to keep the trouble in Berlin within the bounds of order, troops have been stationed at all entrances to the city, and as the soldiers arrive they are being disarmed and as quickly as possible given transportation to their home towns.

Dutch press after Kaiser

The former Kaiser is receiving practically the entire attention of the Dutch newspapers at the present time, while other members of the family, including the Crown Prince, are coming in for their share of criticism.

The presence of the two members of the Hohenzollern family within the boundaries of the nation has raised an issue of protest with a portion of the press, their expulsion being openly advocated in articles spread over the front page of each edition. Other papers are taking a more moderate view, and while not openly demanding their expulsion, come forth with the admission that the presence of the two men may mean serious trouble for Holland, which is a veiled suggestion that the absence of the former rulers of Germany is preferable to their presence.

May lift ban Thanksgiving

With the epidemic of influenza still on the decline in the city, it was announced by officials this afternoon that an effort would be made to lift the ban next Wednesday night or Thursday morning, in order that Thanksgiving day might be free.

This action has not been definitely decided upon, it being necessary that a meeting of the executive committee be called before a definite date can be set.

Conditions in the city today are much improved.

There are but 15 patients at the Emergency hospital now and Manager Donovan this afternoon stated that by the end of next week plans would be made for closing the institution.

It is not thought advisable to use the gymnasium for this purpose, it being too large to care for a small number. In the city generally physicians declare the epidemic to be fast dying down, but very few cases having been reported in several days.

75 Years ago

For the week ending

Nov. 24, 1943

Bend in need of doctors

Declaring that Bend faces a dangerous situation because of the shortage of physicians and surgeons here, the city commission today took steps to induce more members of the medical profession to locate here.

The commissioners instructed City Manager C.J. Reiter to communicate with state health authorities and enlist their aid in increasing the city’s medical staff.

The situation was discussed for more than an hour in the meeting last night, after Commissioner Loyde Blakely stated there were only six doctors in town now, and only one of them available for night calls.

Commissioner A.T. Niebergall, who presided in the absence of Mayor F.S. Simpson, who is ill, pictured Bend’s predicament should an epidemic of illness strike.

‘Petting parties’ will be watched

The Juvenile Protective committee of the PTA today asked theater managers to put a stop to “petting” between teen-age youths under cover of movieland darkness. The teachers and mothers even offered to police movie houses.

“We have found theater managers very cooperative,” said Mrs. W.F. Gladden, PTA chairman. “They have agreed to instruct employees to break-up necking parties.”

Lt. Wetle finds snowfields near

According to his base public relations office John L. Wetle, who recently was promoted to first lieutenant, is stationed in an accommodating terrain.

Lt. Wetle, who before entering the service had to drive miles into the Oregon Cascades to enjoy his favorite sport of skiing, is now serving as assistant supply officer of an army unit in Newfoundland and on off-duty hours finds it a simple matter to follow his former hobby on the snow-covered hills.

50 Years ago

For the week ending

Nov. 24, 1968

Old Pilot Butte Inn building coming down

The Colonial Inn at 1229 Wall St., once the Pilot Butte Inn, will soon be just a memory — another topic for conversation when old-timers get together and reminisce. The old building, which survived two moves from its original location on the Pilot Butte Inn corner, was condemned by the fire marshal and is being torn down. Presumably the property will be available for a new development. The owner, Gerald Snellstrom, of Eugene, was not available today for comment. But his office said that he is considering a professional center on the property. Snellstrom is the owner of the Eugene Motel and the Rimrock Motel in Lakeview. He operates his business investments from an office on Eugene’s Park Avenue.

The first section of the inn was built about 1904 by A.C. Lucas, who came here in 1903. But a hotel had stood near the corner of Wall Street and Newport Avenue even before that.

The original two-story frame structure was attached to the rear of the “new” building as a kitchen and maintenance center.

Within a few years, an addition was built at the north side of the inn.

The entire structure was moved north in about 1916, when construction of the present Pilot Butte Inn, dedicated on St. Patricks’s Day 1917, was begun by the late Phil Brooks.

For many years, the frame building, not connected to the new hotel, was used as an annex.

In the late 1920’s, the inn was moved again — this time to make room for the $200,000 addition to the big stone-faced alpine Pilot Butte Inn, whose future is also a matter of conjecture.

The Pilot Butte Inn went into receivership in December, 1965, after the upper floors were condemned by the state fire marshal.

It is now owned by Ray Smith, retired Corvallis business man, who bought it the day after Eddie Williamson of Bend bid for it in a federal tax sale.

Snellstrom bought the Colonial Inn in 1964 from Edgar N. Anderson, now of Portland. The list of former owners reads like a who’s who of pioneer Bend.

Lucas, the first owner, also operated an early day stage line, and after he sold the hotel, continued for some years to operate a livery barn north of the inn’s original location. Early owners included “the Sniders,” who had settled in the Tumalo area and D.E. Hunter, who came west from Ohio. Ivan McGillvray worked for these two owners in 1909-10, when he was a high school student. His chores included carrying in the wood and filling the kerosene lamps.

As razing of the old building got under way this week, a few souvenir hunters searched for relics of the past. An old nickel mixing spoon, a few shelves with semi-antique hardware, some metal wastebaskets and numerous plumbing fixtures were among the salvageable items.

After re-usable building materials are salvaged, what remains will be burned on the grounds, it was indicated.

25 Years ago

For the week ending

Nov. 24, 1993

Developer has no immediate plans

Bend developer William Smith says he doesn’t know what he’s going to do with the 190 acres of land he owns that is the current site of Crown Pacific Ltd.’s sawmill in south Bend.

“Nobody believes me, but I don’t have any plans yet,” said Smith. “I do know that I have land on the river that is pretty and unique, and someday we’ll figure out what we’ll do with it.”

Smith heads River Bend Ltd. partnership, which purchased the sawmill site on Sept. 8 for $4 million, and then leased the property back to Crown. Smith also sits on Crown Pacific’s board of directors. “Crown said it would operate as long as it had wood,” said Smith. “Apparently it ran out of wood.”

The timber company, which owns 212,000 acres of timberland in Central Oregon, announced Wednesday that it will close permanently the Bend mill on Jan. 10, laying off 130 employees.

Crown vice-president Tony Leineweber said Thursday that company-owned sawmills in Prineville and Gilchrist, and plywood and remanufacturing plants in Redmond, will remain open.

The sawmill site in Bend is zoned for heavy industrial use, and would have to be rezoned before any commercial or residential development could occur. At this point the Bend Metro Park and Recreation District doesn’t have easements on the site or on the land directly across the river.

Smith estimated that approximately 1 mile of the 190-acre site fronts the Deschutes River. According to deeds filed at the Deschutes County Clerks Office, River Bend Ltd. has sold 10 acres of the site — the log storage portion — to Bend resident Howard Day.

Day said he bought the property “for investment purposes,” and that he has no immediate plans for the parcel’s development. “Right now, I’m just holding on to it.”

While Smith labeled development plans for the site as “indefinite,” he said he is “not going to let it just sit there. I’m going to California next week to meet with planners, and I’m working diligently to see what I can and can’t do with the property.”

Historic buildings join list

A cluster of 5 Bend buildings at the south end of Wall Street has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. Built between 1914 and 1939, the properties are Reid School, Bend Amateur Athletic Club, Trinity Episcopal Church, the Deschutes County Library and the old Bend High School.

The Deschutes County Historical Landmarks Commission submitted the nomination last year, and city leaders received work of its approval last week.

“The submission was aimed at documenting buildings that form an enclave for educational, civic and social functions” in Bend’s old-town neighborhood, said Elisabeth Potter, coordinator of national register nominations for the state Historic Preservation Office.

Two of the properties, Reid School and the Amateur Athletic Club, previously were listed on the register individually.